Battle is called the 'storm of the Hjaðningar'. King Heðinn carries off Högni's daughter Hildr; on Háey Högni refuses settlement and draws the dwarf-forged sword Dáinsleif. Every night Hildr wakes the slain by magic, so the battle is renewed day after day — and the Hjaðningar shall fight thus until the doom of the gods.

Orrosta er kölluð Hjaðninga veðr eða él ok vápn Hjaðninga eldr eða vendir, en saga er til þess.

Battle is called the storm or sleet of the Hjaðningar, and weapons the fire or wands of the Hjaðningar; and there is a story to it.

Konungr sá, er Högni er nefndr, átti dóttur, er Hildr hét. Hana tók at herfangi konungr sá, er Heðinn hét Hjarrandason. Þá var Högni konungr farinn í konunga stefnu. En er hann spuðri, at herjat var í ríki hans ok dóttir hans í braut tekin, þá fór hann með sínu liði at leita Heðins ok spurði til hans, at hann fór norðr með landi. Þá er Högni konungr kom í Nóreg, spurði hann, at Heðinn hafði siglt vestr of haf. Þá siglir Högni eftir honum allt til Orkneyja, ok er hann kom þar, sem heitir Háey, þá var þar fyrir Heðinn með lið sitt.

A king named Högni had a daughter named Hildr. She was taken as war-booty by the king named Heðinn Hjarrandason. King Högni was then away at a meeting of kings. And when he learned that his kingdom had been raided and his daughter carried off, he went with his force to seek Heðinn, and learned of him that he had gone north along the coast. When King Högni came into Norway, he learned that Heðinn had sailed west over the sea. Then Högni sails after him all the way to the Orkneys, and when he came to the place called Háey, Heðinn was there before him with his force.

Þá fór Hildr á fund föður síns ok bauð honum men at sætt af hendi Heðins, en í öðru orði sagði hon, at Heðinn væri búinn at berjast ok ætti Högni af honum engrar vægðar ván. Högni svarar stirt dóttur sinni. En er hon hitti Heðin, sagði hon honum, at Högni vildi enga sætt, ok bað hann búast til orrostu, ok svá gera þeir hvárirtveggju, ganga upp á eyna ok fylkja liðinu.

Then Hildr went to meet her father and offered him a necklace as settlement on Heðinn's behalf; but in another word she said that Heðinn was ready to fight and that Högni could expect no mercy from him. Högni answered his daughter harshly. And when she met Heðinn, she told him that Högni wanted no settlement, and bade him make ready for battle; and so both of them do, go up onto the island and draw up their forces.

Þá kallar Heðinn á Högna, mág sinn, ok bauð honum sætt ok mikit gull at bótum.

Then Heðinn called to Högni, his kinsman-by-marriage, and offered him settlement and much gold in atonement.

Þá svarar Högni: "Of síð bauttu þetta, ef þú vill sættast, því að nú hefi ek dregit Dáinsleif, er dvergarnir gerðu, er mannsbani skal verða, hvert sinn er bert er, ok aldri bilar í höggvi ok ekki sár grær, ef þar skeinist af."

Then Högni answers: »Too late you offered this, if you wish to settle, for now I have drawn Dáinsleif, which the dwarfs made, which must be a man's death every time it is bared, and never fails in a blow, and no wound heals if one is scratched by it.«

Þá mælti Heðinn: "Sverði hælir þú þar, en eigi sigri. Þat kallak gott hvert, er dróttinhollt er."

Then Heðinn said: »You boast of your sword there, but not of victory. I call every sword good that is loyal to its lord.«

Þá hófu þeir orrostu þá, er Hjaðningavíg er kallat, ok börðust þann dag allan, ok at kveldi fóru konungar til skipa. En Hildr gekk of nóttina til valsins ok vakði upp með fjölkynngi alla þá, er dauðir váru. Ok annan dag gengu konungarnir á vígvöllinn ok börðust ok svá allir þeir, er fellu inn fyrra daginn. Fór svá sú orrosta hvern dag eftir annan, at allir, þeir er fellu, ok öll vápn, þau er lágu á vígvelli, ok svá hlífar, urðu, at grjóti. En er dagaði, stóðu upp allir dauðir menn ok börðust, ok öll vápn váru þá nýt. Svá er sagt í kvæðum, at Hjaðningar skulu svá bíða ragnaröks. Eftir þessi sögu orti Bragi skáld í Ragnars drápu loðbrókar.

Then they began the battle called Hjaðningavíg, and fought all that day, and in the evening the kings went to their ships. But Hildr went during the night to the slain and woke up with magic all those who were dead. And the next day the kings went onto the battlefield and fought, and so did all those who had fallen the day before. So that battle went on, day after day, that all who fell, and all the weapons that lay on the battlefield, and the shields too, turned to stone. But when day dawned, all the dead men stood up and fought, and all the weapons were then serviceable. It is said in poems that the Hjaðningar shall thus await the doom of the gods. After this story the skald Bragi composed in the Ragnarsdrápa of loðbrók.